1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of the computer user interface and more particularly to help systems for a computer user interface.
2. Description of the Related Art
The conventional graphical user interface (GUI) has been widely used for many years. The primary function of the GUI includes providing visual controls with which the end-user can interact with an underlying application. Though the common GUI includes many stock visual controls, a select few visual controls can be combined to accommodate most computer-human interactions required by an application. For example, the static text box control can be used to present text to the end-user while an edit box can permit the user to provide textual input to the application. A radio button control can provide for the exclusive selection of an element from among a field of elements, while a checklist box can control can provide for the non-exclusive selection of elements from among a field of elements.
The help function associated with a software application ordinarily entails accepting an indication of required assistance and presenting a message to a requestor intended to help the requester. Advanced forms of the help function provide contextual messages depending upon a contemporaraneous activity of the requester sensed by the help function. The modern GUI enables dramatic improvements in the operation of the help function. In this regard, different combinations of GUI controls within a GUI can be arranged to present user-friendly help in the context of contemporary end user activity.
The modern GUI has become complex in nature and often includes a substantial number of GUI elements within a small display space. The problem of limited display space can be compounded in the smallish display of a personal digital assistant or other pervasive device. To provide a help portion of the GUI in different locations at different times can become confusing to the end user who often does not know where to expect the presentation of help within the GUI. In consequence, within a complex GUI environment, help can be localized to a specific portion of the GUI screen, for example a status bar at the bottom of the GUI display.
Placing help at the bottom of the GUI display is not without consequence. In particular, where help is rendered in connection with a particular GUI control in a GUI display, the context of the help will be self-evident. Isolating help in a statically defined portion of the GUI display decouples the context of the help from that portion of the GUI display most relevant to the help. Accordingly, one must choose between a predictable location for help in a GUI environment, and a contextually relevant presentation of help messages in the GUI environment.